Welcome to Gaia! ::

Hey. I've got several aliases: Devin (my real name), Miyoko162, And Hypomanic Poet. Most here on Gaia simply call me Poet.

My family was never right religious. (Fellow Canucks can make sense of that sentence, especially if you're a Maritimer wink ) I was raised Baptist, and went to Sunday School every Sunday up until about age 12.
I pretty much had np plans as far as religion up until I was about 14- I found Wicca. I, unfortunately picked Silver Ravenwolf's Teen Witch as my first Wiccan book purchase. sweatdrop ( I just thought the pen name was cool gonk ) Since reading and researching MANY Wiccan/Pagan websites, I realize Silver for the fluff bunny that she is. I have yet to find a particular tradition of Wicca or Paganism that suits me, but that doesn't really matter. I've recently been feeling like I've lost touch with the Goddess & God. I don't know if I even believe in a higher power of any kind anymore.
Recently, I've been getting really interested in Buddhism, to the point of seriously considering converting. Buddhism could help me, emotionally, mentally and definately spiritually. Religion is important to me. I need it.


Well, I'm done rambling. Blessed Be heart

-Poet

Edit: I've turned 20 today! *dances*

Greetings My Fellow Scholars of Religion and Gaians!

Names...the things we use to identify ourselves, and allow others access to our thoughts. Our minds. Our very beings. This being can be called Mythral...or you can call me Tuck. Either will get my attention.

I was born into an Agnostic/Methodist family, but was originally raised Roman Catholic (it's a long story, but the short version is that I was adopted, and my birth mother asked that I be raised Catholic...a request that later changed with my own personal religious changes). I learned about the magics of ritual and pattern, and the beauty of a spiritual mystery.

However, I questioned the fear that I was being taught. God loved me, but He demanded certain strange things of me, and if I didn't do them, I'd be cast into the worst existance imaginable for the remainder of my eternal existance.
But He loved me.
The story didn't make a lot of sense. I accepted it, for a while...and then slowly began to ignore it. It didn't feel right.

What did feel right was the wind. Ever since I was very young, I'd played with the wind. I'd move my hand, and the wind would follow. I want to play with a dust devil, and a devil would rise out of the ground and whirl around me, falling down when I gestured for it to.
This was my first connection with nature, and my first connection with my current spiritual path, which centers very heavily around the beliefs of Wicca.

I believe in the Rede, that doing no harm, men and women may each do as they wilt. I believe in a God and a Goddess, each in equal balance, each giving life to the other. I believe that the dead pass into the realm of the spirit, able to touch us until they are ready to rejoin this world as reborn souls, questing for true meaning. I believe that faith is the single mightest power that humanity has, and that it can move mountains in a literal sense. I believe that people, if they believe together, can change the very fabric of the universe, making up down and evil good with a mere human gesture. It doesn't matter what you believe...as long as you believe hard enough, it can be.

I have since gone into practice as a Reverend...legally, I'm connected to the Universal Life Church, an Unitarian organization often made fun of for its "Internet Ordination." But for those who take it seriously and solemnly, commitment to that Higher Power offers a very special bond. To be able to connect human beings to their Gods, and to see the joy that such a connection brings, is a very joyous thing. And to see people believing different things and loving each other, worshiping together and learning is equally joyous. That's why I'm here...because this Guild espouses so many ideals that I love.

I like to think of myself as a teacher. I teach the path of Goddess-based religion (they are my specialty...I am Wiccan in faith, but I study many others), and a path of peaceful consideration. It's a rewarding job, and I am honored to take anyone who is interested as a student. I am also eager if someone else would teach me better their religion...I know so little, despire how much I know. PM me if you would like to talk...I'd be more than happy to discuss just about any of this with out.

So, Merry Meet, everyone. I look forward to spending this time with you.

M. Soulstrom

Everyone's welcome here. Don't worry about past problems, consider this a clean slate.


Mythral: That is one heck of a story. You're a preacher? Wow. That must take alot of patience. xp

'Tis chaoticpuppet with a new name, i will make you hurt, in case you couldn't read the one by my avie.

Hey all My real name is Emily. I'm a christian I go to a small church in Maine. I haven't converted to any other religion, I just like to learn about other religions that are out there in the world. And that will be it for now.

Born Christian, never stepped foot in a church before a couple years ago, however, since my dad had a bad experience back in his Sunday school days that alienated him from the church. Anyway, after 9/11, I started feeling like something was missing in my life, and started going to church again, after not going for about a year. I found it didn't really fit me after a couple weeks, and started looking into other faiths.

I studied and practiced Wicca for about a year at that point, before getting fed up with the idiocy and new-age contamination/perversion of the religion. After that I was introduced to Buddhism by a good freind of mine who is a devout Buddhist, spent about six months as a Buddhist, studying Yoga (the mystical schools of Hinduism, not the exercises) on the side. After about six months I got an epiphany from reading the bible that renewed my faith in god, and, interestingly enough, brought me to Yoga.

The name's Brittany. I'm glad to be a member of this guild.
So.
I guess the easiest way to describe my religion is a "dark-minded catholic." That sounds funny, but let me explain.

I was born and raised catholic, and come from a german/italian family, both sides of which are catholic. Also, I grew up in NY, and the churches there are quite strict.
As I got older, I drifted from my religion. Then I just stopped praying and believing altogether because of a few events that make you question the existence of God.
So for a while, I was atheist. Then I got a taste of a lot of other religions, from wiccan to Buddhism. Sad to say, none really cut it for me. But it did teach me that there is beauty to every religion out there. I went back to the Catholic church recently, with my heart set to Mary, and my principles set to Buddhism. It's difficult to describe what I believe. I don't believe in Jesus, for one. I KNOW he existed, but I don't believe that he was what he claimed to be. I do believe in God, and I pray to Mary and God, because it gives me comfort. But I like the darker side of life, I guess you could say. Ghost, demons, evil. At the same time, I believe in everything. Sounds complicated, but really, it's not. Please don't make fun of me. Heheh'.

I hope this helped. smile